Tube manufacturing apparatus



July 28, 1936. A. P. DIESCHER V TUBE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 19, 193:5

INVENTOR. 4 BD/cscben Nu \m.

BY v M,

A TTORNE Y8.

Patented July as, 1936 UNITED STATES I 2,048,925 TUBE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS August P. Diescher,

Diescher Tube Pittsburgh, Pa... asslgnor to Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a

corporation oi Delaware Application October 19, 1933, SerialNo. 624,284

17 Claims.

My invention relates to the manufacture of seamless tubes, and more particularly to apparatus for cross rolling tubular blanks on mandrels.

In the operation of cross rolling tubular blanks on mandrels to reduce their wall thickness and to elongate them, and especially when the .tubes are of large diameter, the relatively thin hot walls of the tubes may be damaged by the weight of the mandrels, particularly if the mandrels are permitted to be delivered with the tube from the cross-roll mill onto a delivery table unsupported except by the tube. Furthermore, unless the mandrel is rotated by other means, the entire inertia of the relatively heavy mandrel must be is overcome by the mill when the latter engages the tubular blank with the mandrel enclosed therein.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple and dependable apparatus for overcoming the aforementioned dimculties.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide that the outer end of the mandrel is always supported by a mandrel carriage on the delivery side of the cross-roll mill or elongator. The other end of the mandrel is supported by the elongator as long as the tubular blank is passing therethrough. Any tendency of the mandrel to sag is opposed by supporting rollers.

I Before each rolling operation, the mandrel is moved through the cross-rolling elongator in a direction opposite to that in which the tubular blank passes when being treated thereby and is threaded through the tubular blank, the latter being positioned in alignment with the pass-line through the elongator and with the mandrel. The mandrel with a tubular blank thereon is then advanced through the elongator, the tubular blank and the mandrel being positively fed to the elongator.

In order that the elongator need not overcome the inertia of the mandrel by starting its rotation from rest, and to assist in overcoming the inertia of the tubular blank, the mandrel, during the entry of the tubular blank into the cross rolls, is rotated below the speed at which it is rotated by the elongator. The rotation of the mandrel will assist in overcoming the inertia of the tubular blank regardless of the rotation of the latter, since the mandrel will be rotating in the interior of the blank when the exterior of the blank is engaged by the cross rolls.

In order that the mandrel may rotate freely at the speed at which it may be actuated by the elongator, regardless of the slower speed at which 55 it may be initially driven by its driving mechanism,'the driving connections of the mandrel include a one-way clutch which permits the mandrel to rotate faster than its driving mechanism. For the purpose of facilitating the supply of 60 tubular blanks and contained mandrels to the cross rolls, and in order to expedite the delivery oi the resultant tubes, I provide aplurality of delivery tables, preferably two, with mandrels arranged as described above, these tables being movable transversely for alignment alternately withthe mill. In operation, while one delivery 5 table and its reciprocating mandrel are in alignment with the cross-roll mill,

larged fragmentary view of certain of the apparatus of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the elongator, or cross-roll mill, I may, for example, be such as that shown 'and described in Patent No. 1,870,209 to Samuel E. Diescher granted August 2, 1932. The elongator comprises a pair of cross rolls 2 and 3,

- the axes of which are inclined to each other and to the pass-line or axis of a tubular blank pass ing through the elongator. The elongator I is also provided with vertical discs 4 and 5 that-rotate about axes at right angles to the pass-line to engage the blank between the cross rolls. The cross rolls 2 and 3 are operated by a motor 6, which may be, for example, an electric motor, and gear mechanism I and driving spindles 8 and 9 that are supported at intermediate portions by bearings I II.

A feed table I2-ior supplying the hot tubular blanks to the elongator I comprises a frame I3 mounted on suitable jacks I4 and a plurality of conveyor rollers I5 that are adapted to support a tubular blank in alignment with the pass-line of the elongator I. If desired, a trough may be substituted for the conveyor rollers I5. The hot tubular blanks are supplied to the conveyor rollers I5 by means of skids I6 upon which the tubular blanks roll after they leave the piercing mill or 60 reheating furnace, not shown.

n the outlet side of the elongator is the delivery table mechanism which comprises a frame l that is mounted on wheels I! for transverse movement on rails 25. Mounted on the frame l2 are two parallel delivery tables 2| and 22 each of which comprises a reciprocable mandrel carriage 22 that is connected through a one-way clutch 24 to a mandrel 25. Each mandrel carriage 22 is provided with a motor 25 for operating the mandrel carriage along rails 21. Each mandrel carriage 22 also carries a motor 22 for rotating the mandrel.

Each delivery table spaced conveyor rollers comprises also a series of 25 that are adapted to be raised and lowered in accordance with the horizontal position of the mandrel carriage 22, as by means of suitably controlled fluid pressure cylinders 2|. The rollers 25 are lowered to remove them from the path of the mandrel carriage 22. These conveyor rollers 22 assist the mandrel carriage 22 in supporting the mandrel and the tube thereon when in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2, and they also resist any tendency of the when it is supported at both ends in the manner described below.

At the forward end of each delivery table is a roller 22 which may be elevated higher than the roller 25 in order to compensate for the thickness of a tube on the mandrel and thereby insure that the inner end of the mandrel is in alignment with the pass-line of the elongator and with the tubular blank on the opposite side of the elongator when it is desired to project the mandrel through the elongator. The roller 22 is elevated only when the mandrel 25 is being projected through the elongator to be threaded into a tubular blank on the feed table I2, and is lowered before the mandrelycarriage 22 reaches it.

In the operation of the apparatus of my invention, it may be assumed that the delivery table frame I! is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, with the delivery table 2| and its mechanism in alignment with the elongator I. It may be assumed also that the feed table |2 has been supplied with a tubular blank 25 and that the mandrel 25 of delivery table 21| has been projected through the cross rolls and threaded through the tubular blank 25 to occupy the position shown in been threaded throu h the tubular blank two spaced stops 25 and 21 are moved up against the respective outer ends of the blank and the mandrel to properly position them to insure a desired length of mandrel beyond the outer or trailing end of the blank. The several parts are then in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2. If desired the stops 25 and 21 may be moved to the positions inwhich they are shown prior to the threading of the tubular blank. The stop 25 is in the form of a yoke or fork to permit it to pass over the mandrel.

For adjusting the blank 25 on the mandrel before the two are fed into the mill a disappearing stop 28 is provided being arranged adjacent the mill and readily operative into and out of enthe forward end of the blank. Through the use of this and the stop 35, as will be obvious, the blank may be positioned at any point with respect to the end of the mandrel gagement with which may be desired.

It will be noted that the mandrel 25 of delivery table 22 which is out of alignment with the elongator I has a tube 29 thereon, the tube and mandrel being supported at one end by the carriage and along their lengths by the conveyor rolltube 25 the latter is alignment ers 22. Between the mandrel carriage and the end of the tube 29 is a disappearing fork II, the arms of which extend around the sides of the mandrel 25 and which serve as an abutment for the tube 25 when the mandrel carriage is moved to the right to withdraw the mandrel therefrom. When the mandrel has beenstripped from the transferred by suitable transfer mechanism comprising arms 4| mounted on a shaft 42 and driven by a motor 42 to transfer the tube to skids 42 by means of which the tube is carried to a suitable conveyor or other apparatus for transporting the tube to'any other desired location.

While the tube 25 on delivery table 22 is being transferred therefrom in the manner described above a tubular blank 25 is fed to and treated by the elongator to be received by delivery table 2|. The blank 25 and the mandrel 25 are advanced from their respective positions shown in Figs; 1 and 2 by'means of a fluid pressure cylinder 55 or other suitable actuating means, the piston rod 41 of which is connected to the crosshead 48 of a carriage 49 having wheels 52 movable on a track 5| and whichcarries the stop members 25 and 21 to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, to simultaneously move the tubular blank and mandrel into the elongator As the mandrel 25 and the tubular blank 25 thereon are advanced to the elongator, the mandrel is rotated prior to the engagement of the tubular blank by the cross-rolls 2 and 2 in order to at least partially overcome the inertia of the mandrel and to assist in overcoming the inertia of the tubular blank.

During the rolling operation the mandrel carriage may be driven by its motor 25 at such speed as to cause the carriage 22 either to retard the movement of the mandrel through the cross rolls or to accelerate such movement. If desired, however, the mandrel carriage may be disconnected from its driving motor 25 by means of a magnetic coupling or other suitable coupling, not shown, whereupon the mandrel carriage will be moved" to the right by the force of the elongator as exerted through the mandrel 25.

when the mandrel carriage and mandrel of delivery table 2| reach positions corresponding to those in which the carriage and mandrel of delivery table 22 are shown, the frame transversely to move delivery table 2| out of and delivery table 22 into alignment with the elongator. The frame |2 moves on rails 22 by means of a motor 52 that is operatively connected in any suitable manner to move the frame and is controlled in any suitable manner either automatically or by hand. The operation of removing the elongated tube from table 2| is similar in every respect to that described in connection with the removal of the tube 25 from the delivery table 22, the transfer mechanism cooperating with the table 2| being a duplicate of that provided for delivery table 22.

Delivery table 22 is now in alignment with the eiongator l and in the meantime a succeeding tubular blank has been supplied to the feed table l2. The mandrel 25 of delivery table 22 is moved to the left in Figs. 1 and 2 and through the elongator and into a position corresponding to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for the mandrel of delivery table 2|. The operation thereafter is as described for the delivery table 2|, and the alternation of the delivery tables, and the cycles of operation for the mechanisms thereof, are repeated as long as the elongator is in operation.-

llismoved:

aocaoes It desired, the forward movement of the mandrel within a tubular blank during elongation may be accelerated by means of the cylinder 48 and the connected carriage 49 and stop 81. Stop 38 is pivoted at 54 on the carriage 69 and its position is controlled by a plvotally mounted fluid pressure cylinder 55 which, when under pressure, holds the stop in a vertical position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and which, when the pressure is desired to have the movement of the mandrel accelerated.

delivery table.

permits the stop 36 to rotate clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, to allow it to assume a position providing clearance for the end of blank 85. During elongation the end of the blank recedes along mandrel 25, since even during normal operation the mandrel moves faster than the trailing end of the blank because of the elongation of the latter.

The mandrel carriages 23 may begeared to the frame i8, if desired, to provide traction therebetween in accelerating or retarding the mandrel during the rolling operation or in advancing therbnandrel through the elongator and into a tubular lank.

The invention has the advantages that the mandrel is continuously supported at its outer end and while it has a tube thereon its inner end is supported by the elongator until the blank has passed completely therethrough, and accordingly there is no danger of damage to the tube thereon, such as might occur if the mandrel was supported only by the hot thin walls of the tube as it is discharged from the elongator onto the The employment of duplicate mechanisms not only saves time but it also permits the mandrels to cool or to be cooled by applying water thereto during the intervals between operations. Accordingly they may remain in service throughout relatively long periods. It will be noted that the rate of advance of the mandrel during the cross rolling may be regulated as desired. The mandrel carriage or the feeding mechanism may expedite the passage of the mandrel through the elongator during cross rolling or, if it is so desired, the rate of advance of the mandrel may be retarded below that at which it is normally advanced through the elongator, in which case a shorter mandrel may be employed.

The elongation oi tubes may occur in relatively rapid succession, the supplying of tubular blanks taking place while the delivery. tables are shifted from one position to the other for successive ,operations of receiving an elongated tube and then-discharging the tube therefrom.

The foregoing and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art 01' construction and operation of apparatus for elongating tubes in cross-roll mills.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising a tube mill of the helically operative reducing roll and driven intermediate guide disc type, means for receiving and upporting a tubular blank on the inlet side of said mill in alignment with the rollpass thereof, and a mandrel supported on the outlet side of said mill and mounted for reciprocation through said cross rolls and insertion in said tubular blank.

2. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising a tube mill of the helically operative reducing roll and driven intermediate guide disc type, means for receiving and supporting atubular blank on inlet side of said mill in alignment with the.

roll pass thereof, means for limiting outward endwise movement of said tubular blank on said support, a mandrel supported on the outlet side of said mill, and means for moving said mandrel endwise through said cross rolls and threading it through said blank.v

3. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising a tube mill of the helically operative reducing roll and driven intermediate guide disc type, means for receiving and supporting a tubular blank on the inlet side of said mill in alignment with the roll pa'ss thereof, means for limiting outward endwise movement of said tubular blank onjsaid support, a mandrel supported on the outlet" side of said mill, and a mandrel carriage secured to the outer end of said mandrel for moving the mandrel endwise through the mill and threading it through said blank.

4. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising a tube mill of the helically and driven intermediate guide disc type, means for receiving and supporting a tubular blank on the inlet side of said mill in alignment with the roll pass thereof, means for limiting outward endwise movement of said tubular blank on said support, a mandrel supported on the outlet side of said mill, and a mandrel carriage secured to the outer end of said mandrel for moving the mandrel endwise through the mill and threading it through said blank and for varying the speed of the return movement of the mandrel when the tubular blank is being treated in said mill.

5. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising a tube mill oi helically operative reducing roll and driven intermediate guide disc type, means for receiving and supporting a tubular blank on the inlet side of said mill in alignment with the roll pass thereof, means for limiting outward endwise movement of said tubular blank on said support, a mandrel supported on the outlet side of said mill, means for moving said mandrel end wise through said mill and threading it through said tubular blank while the blank is held in position by the limiting means and for permitting said. mandrel to return through said mill with said tubular blank, outward movement of the treatedtube while the mandrel is being removed therefrom.

6. Apparatus for treating tubes, tube mill of the helically operative and driven intermediate guide disc for receiving and supporting a tubular blank on the inlet side of said mill in alignment with the reducing roll 'roll pass thereof, means for limiting outward endwise movement of said tubular blank on said support, a mandrel supported on the outlet side of said mill, a mandrel carriage secured to the outer end of said mandrel for moving said mandrel endwise through said mill and threading it through said tubular blank while the latter is held in position by the limiting means, said mandrel carriage being movable by the mandrel when the latter returns with the tubular blank through said mill, and a stop member for limiting outward movement of the treated tube while the mandrel carriage withdraws the mandrel therefrom.

7. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising cross rolls. a feed table for receiving a tubular blank to be treated by said cross rolls, means for threading a mandrel through said tubular blank from the inner end thereof. a stop member for limiting outward movement of said tubular blank on said feed table but permitting the mandrel to project therebeyond, a second stop member for limiting outward movement of the mandrel, and

operative reducing roll and means for limiting the comprising a type, means means for moving said stop members toward the cross rolls to feed the tubular blank and said mandrel to said cross rolls.

8. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising cross rolls, a feed table for receiving a tubular blank to be treated by said cross rolls, means for threadir g a mandrel through said tubular blank from the inner end thereof, two spaced stop members for limiting outward movement of respectively said tubular blank and said mandrel projecting beyond said tubular blank, and means for moving said stop members in their spaced relation to feed said tubular blank to said cross rolls and to move said mandrel therewith. 9. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising cross rolls, a feed table for receiving a tubular blank to be treated by said cross rolls, means for threading a mandrel through said tubular blank from the inner end thereof, two spaced stop members for limiting outward movement of respectively said tubular blank and said mandrel projecting beyond said tubular blank, a removable stop member for limiting inward movement of said tubular blank to insure proper relative position on said mandrel before entering the cross rolls, and means for moving said two spaced stop members toward said cross rolls to feed said tubular blank thereto.

10. Apparatus for treating tubes, a tube mill of the helically operative reducing roll and driven intermediate guide disc type mill, a feed table on the inlet side of said mill for receiving a tubular blank, two delivery tables on the outlet side of said cross rolls that are laterally movable into and out of alignment with said feed table, a mandrel carried by each of said delivery tables, and means for moving each mandrel endwise through said mill and into a blank on said feed table.

11. Apparatus for treating tubes, comprising a tube mill of the helically operative reducing roll and driven intermediate guide disc type, a feed table on the inlet side of said mill for receiving a tubular blank, two delivery tables on the outlet side of said mill that are laterally movable into and out of alignment with said feed table, a mandrel carried by each of said deliverytables that is movable endwise through the mill and into a tubular blank on said feed table and that is movable with the tubular blank thereon through said mill to its delivery table, means for limiting the outward movement of the resulting tube on the delivery table, and means for moving the mandrel outward while the tube is held by said limiting means to remove the mandrel from the tube.

12. In combination with a tube mill having helically operative reducing rolls and driven intermediate guide discs, means for supporting a tubular blank in front of said. mill in alignment with the roll pass thereof, a mandrel movable from the discharge side of said mill through the mill and through a blank disposed on said support and thence back through the mill with the blank, means for pivotally supporting the outer end of said mandrel and feeding it through said mill and into a blank to be rolled, and means for supporting the tube and mandrel as they issue from. the mill, said means being operable to a position out of the path of said mandrel supporting and moving means when the latter is moved thereover.

13. In combination with a tube mill having helically operative reducing rolls and driven incomprising for movement at right -drels may be brought into 'said pass line.

termediate guide discs, means for supporting a tubular blank in front of said mill in alignment with the roll pass thereof, a mandrel provided at the delivery side of the mill for reciprocation therethrough, means pivotally connected to the .1 5 discharge end of said mandrel for supporting it and moving it through the mill and also threading it into a blank disposed on first-mentioned support, and a plurality of spaced adjustable supports arranged at the outlet side of the mill to engage and support the treated tube and mandrel as they issue fromv the mill and movable to a position out of the path of the mandrel moving means as the latter is passed thereover.

14. In combination with a tube mill having helically operative reducing rolls and driven intermediate guide discs, a mandrel provided at the delivery side of said mill and disposed for movement through the roll pass of said mill and threadable into a tubular blank at the inlet side of the mill, means pivotally connected to the discharge end of said mandrel for supporting it and moving it into the mill and blank, means for guiding the inner end of said mandrel through the roll pass of the mill, and means movable out 25 of the path of said mandrel moving means for supporting the tube and mandrel as they issue from the mill.

15'. In combination with a tube mill having helically operative reducing rolls'and driven in- 30 termediate guide discs, a mandrel arranged at the discharge side of the mill for movement through the mill and a tubular blank to be rolled located 'on the entry side of the mill, a carriage pivotally connected to the discharge end of said mandrel, 35 meanson said carriage for rotating said man-'- drel, other means on said carriage for moving it and'the mandrel to and from the mill, and means for engaging and supporting rolled tube with the mandrel therein as they issue from the mill,- said means being operative to a position out of the path of said carriage as the latter is moved thereover.

16. In combination with a tube mill having helically operative reducing rolls and driven in-., termediate guide discs, duplicate laterally movable mandrel and tube-supporting apparatus at the discharge side of the mill, each said apparatus comprising a platform disposed longitudinally of the pass line of the mill, a carriage mounted. for longitudinal movement on said platform, a mandrel pivotally connected at its discharge end to said carriage for movement into and out of said mill and means spaced along the platform for engaging and supporting a tube as it is rolled from the mill on said mandrel and movable out of the path of said carriage as the latter is passed thereover along said platform.

17. In an apparatus for the manufacture of seamless tubes, a rolling mill, a plurality of horizontally movable mandrels for coaction with the rolling mill, at its delivery side a carriage upon which said mandrels are mounted for horizontal movement, means for longitudinally reciprocating any one of said mandrels into and out of the 5 pass of the rolling mill, and tracks extending at rightangles to the pass line of the rolling mill, the carriage being mounted upon said tracks angles to the pass line of the rolling mill whereby any one of said man- 70 coactive relation to AUGUST P. nrascm. 

